NASA's N95NA

The National Aeronautic and Space Administration's G-V, N95NA (msn 672), is making a stop at HNL from EDF [Houston Ellington Airport, Houston, TX] this afternoon as NASA5.

672's History:

Sep 2002: Delivered to Transworld Oil as VP-BJD.

Nov 2005: Sold to Nike, Inc. as N225GV.

Jan 2006: Re-registered as N3456.

Oct 2016: Acquired by NASA as N95NA.

03 January 2025 UPDATE

N95NA departed today for BNE.

NASA's N436NA

NASA's HC-130H, N436NA (msn 382-5104), is making a stop at HIK, from WAL, via RIV, as NASA436. It's bound for CRK.

18 October 2024 UPDATE

N436NA departed for UAM this morning.

28 October 2024 UPDATE

N436NA arrived from UAM today, and will continue onto RIV tomorrow.

NASA's N926NA

NASA is flying N926NA (msn 63-13503A), their Martin WB-57A Canberra weather research aircraft from EFD [Johnson Space Center / Ellington Airport, Houston TX], via BAB [Beale AFB, Marysville, CA], that will make a stop at HNL, as NASA926, to perform weather test flights this coming week.

63-13503's History:

Originally designated by the US Air Force as 53-3974, and built as an RB-57D, then re-built as an RB-57F.

___ 1965: Assigned to the 6901st Reconnaissance Squadron.

___ 1966: Assigned to the 7407th Support Squadron.

___ 1968: Converted to a WB-57F, and assigned to the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

Feb 1994: Decommissioned from the USAF, registered as N357AR for the National Science Foundation.

Feb 2003: Acquired by NASA as N926NA for its High Altitude Research Program.

NASA's N522NA

NASA's Gulfstream IV, N522NA (msn 1199), is making a stop at JRF from LFI (via MRY), as it heads to CHC. It will overnight then continue onto PPG, then CHC.

03 Dec 2023 UPDATE

N522NA returns from PPG this evening, and will depart for TUS the next morning.

NASA's N522NA

NASA's Gulfstream G-IV, N522NA (msn 1199), is making a stop at HNL while on its way from LFI to PPG as NASA522, with other stops at BJC and MRY.

28 June 2023 UPDATE

N522NA returned to HNL before returning to LFI (seen above).

01 July 2023 UPDATE

NASA522 departed for TUS early this morning.

NASA's N802NA

NASA is deploying N802NA (c/n 83-0502) from PMD to KOA. This C-20A (Gulfstream III) will be making atmospheric test flights over the Mauna Loa volcanic eruption.

NASA's N747NA

NASA's 747SP-21 SOFIA [Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy] platform, N747NA "Clipper Lindbergh" (c/n 2144, l/n 306), is making its return to its base at PMD from CHC, and is making a brief fuel stop at HNL.

This former Pan American World Airways and United Airlines 747SP is due to be retired soon.

NASA's N747NA

NASA's SOFIA Airborne Telescope 747SP-21, N747NA (c/n 21441, l/n 306), is making one of its last research flights from PMD to CHC, and is making a fuel stop at HNL. This 747SP is scheduled for retirement by the end of this year, and is spending some time in New Zealand for its remaining missions.

Mahalo to M Benally for the photos.

NASA's N436NA

NASA's HC-130H, N436NA (c/n 382-5104), has made a stop at HNL from SUU, as NASA436.

06 Jun 2022 UPDATE

N436NA departed for AWK this morning.

NASA's N992NA

NASA's Gulfstream III, N992NA (msn 309), arrived at HNL today. It's mission will be to overfly the the volcanic activity on the east side of Hawai‘i Island. The G-III is equipped with NASA's UAVSAR (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar) pod mounted on the underside.

FlightRadar24.com has the flight track over the Puna side of Hawai‘i Island.

HNL RareBirds Visits N806NA

We got the opportunity to visit NASA's ER-2S, N806NA (msn 80-1063), as it prepared to make a research flight this morning from Marine Corps Air Station Kāneʻohe Bay [NGF]. At 0900HST, it departed NGF's Runway 4 in less than 1,000 feet from Taxiway F, for its 2.5 hour flight.

The ER-2S made a research flight over Maui County to map the four island's coral reefs at an altitude of 65,000 feet. It also made reef mapping runs above the northeast coast of O‘ahu. The aircraft is equpped with an Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVRIS) system to perform the experiments. The aircraft returned to NGF with a flawless landing, after the Oʻahu overflights.

The other mission for N806NA here in Hawaiʻi are overflights over the volcanoes on Hawaiʻi Island to map the progress of volcanic emissions and its effects on the environment. The flights can be followed at NASA's Airborne Science Program web page.

NASA's N806NA To Overfly The Islands

N806NA (msn 80-1063), a Lockheed ER-2S, that NASA has, is here at NGF to perform research flights over the volcanoes on Hawai‘i Island. It's one of two ER-2S that belongs to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

Further details and video in this KITV news report and this KHON news report.

NASA's 83-0502

Formally flying for the United States Air Force, this G-20A (Gulfstream-III) was acquired by the National Aeronautical and Space Administration in 2003 to become a test-bed/research aircraft. Hanging below 83-0502 (c/n 389) is an Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) array. According to their website, 83-0502 was used to survey Mauna Loa yesterday. For more information click here.

NASA's N747NA

NASA's 747SP, N747NA, made a fuel stop in the overnight hours at HIK, it arrived from CHC just after midnight, and departed for PMD [Palmdale Regional Airport, CA] after 0430HST.

NASA's N747NA

NASA's N747NA (c/n 21441, l/n 306), their 747SP-21 with the SOFIA telescope in the aft cabin, is making its way to CHC, from PMD [Palmdale Regional Airport, CA], with a stop at HNL (or HIK). It arrived around 0230HST, and left for CHC before 0630HST.

This 747SP was originally delivered to Pan American World Airways [PA/PAA] in May 1977 as N536PA "Clipper Lindbergh". When Pan Am sold their Trans-Pacific operations to United Airlines in February 1986, N536PA was transferred in the sale, and became N145UA. It wore both the Saul Bass livery, and the grey/blue livery. NASA acquired N145UA in October 1997, and added the SOFIA telescope. It was re-registered as N747NA in April 2005.

NASAʻs N426NA

One of NASAʻs P-3B Orions, N426NA (c/n 185-5175), arrived at HIK from NTD yesterday, and departed for PPG this morning.

NASA's N817NA

NASA's DC-8-72 N817NA (c/n 46082) is en route to HNL as NASA817.